Russia's Position on Dialogue Reflects Only Azerbaijan's Perspective, Not Balanced: Artsakh MFA

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh has issued a statement regarding the comments made by the Russian Foreign Minister during a press briefing following the trilateral meeting in Moscow.

In the statement, it particularly states: “In connection with the comments made by the Russian Foreign Minister for the media following the trilateral negotiations with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on July 25, 2023, we find it necessary to note the following:

The Republic of Artsakh highly appreciates the long-standing mediating efforts of the Russian Federation, which are carried out both individually and as a co-chairing country of the OSCE Minsk Group. We are grateful to Russia for its exceptional contribution to halting Azerbaijan's 44-day aggression against Artsakh and for the peacekeeping mission being implemented in Artsakh.

We have taken note that during the meeting the Russian side presented its assessments regarding the steps that should be taken immediately and without delay for the benefit of the people of Artsakh, ensuring the provision of food, medicines, and essential supplies, as well as ensuring the uninterrupted supply of electricity and gas.

While not questioning Russia's desire to help the parties reach a long-term solution to the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict and to facilitate the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, we nevertheless find it necessary to point out that the vision for dialogue proposed by the Russian side between Stepanakert and Baku is not balanced. The assertion that dialogue should be conducted to reconcile international obligations, including rights stemming from conventions on the protection of the rights of national minorities, reflects only one side’s—Azerbaijan’s—viewpoint. Such an approach predetermines the outcome of potential dialogue and thus undermines and devalues its meaning.

The claim that the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict is an issue of securing the rights of a national minority is a false discourse promoted by Azerbaijan to distort the essence of the conflict and justify its refusal to recognize the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination—a fundamental principle of international law referenced by Russia itself multiple times.

Attempts to frame the resolution of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict within the context of national minority rights are disconnected from reality and cannot lead to a just, balanced, and dignified peace. Considering that Azerbaijan is openly disregarding the provisions of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, as well as its international obligations regarding the implementation of the legally binding decisions of the International Court of Justice, compliance with the requirements of international humanitarian law, and the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination, any claim that Azerbaijan would willingly adhere to any mechanisms is entirely unfounded. Attempts to impose such a vision of conflict resolution are fraught with disastrous consequences.

Regarding the statement that the most sensitive issue in the negotiations is ‘the guarantee of the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh in the context of ensuring Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and in full accordance with the declaration signed by the leaders of the former Soviet republics in Alma-Ata in 1991,’ we find it appropriate to again remind that before the signing of this document, the Republic of Artsakh had already completed the process of withdrawal from the Azerbaijan SSR in accordance with Soviet legislation and norms of international law.

Furthermore, the Alma-Ata declaration, like any international document, must be guided by the principles and norms of the UN Charter and other universal norms and principles of international law. Therefore, the Alma-Ata declaration contains the same principles and norms as the UN Charter, including the right to self-determination. At the same time, the interpretation of the relationship between different legal norms is subject to the general logic of the development of international law and international practice. In this regard, we find it necessary to emphasize that in cases of mass serious violations of human rights and discriminatory policies, the right to secession based on the principle of self-determination prevails over the principle of territorial integrity of states. This formula, in particular, is described in the declaration on the principles of international law concerning friendly relations and cooperation among states, to which the Russian Foreign Minister has repeatedly referred.

We agree with the repeatedly expressed comments by the Russian side regarding the relationship between the principles of self-determination and territorial integrity. This approach is also enshrined in the judicial practice of various countries.

We strongly urge international actors to be guided solely by the principles of international law and the interests of the people who have been on the brink of humanitarian disaster and facing an increasing threat of ethnic cleansing for about 8 months in the resolution of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict.